Card index



S. ANTHONY Jan. 21, 1930.

CARD INDEX 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26, 1926 Fig.1.

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STczn ley WW 8. ANTHONY Jan. 21, 1930.

CARD INDEX Filed Nov. 26, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet lnyenTor. STcmley Anfhony ATTys..

Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES STANLEY ANTHONY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS CARD IIZDEX This invention relates to card indexes of the type which comprise a plurality of panels or card-supporting members each having a plurality of index cards carried thereby and a cabinet to contain the panels and from which they may be withdrawn to give access to the index cards thereon.

In one familiar card index of this type the card-supporting panels are in the form of drawers or slides which are adapted to be pulled out from the cabinet horizontally, and when pulled out are adapted to be swung downwardly into an inclined position so as to place the cards in a convenient position for manipulation. WVith this construction the horizontal dimension of the cabinet must be at least as great as the length of the panel and the operation of withdrawing any panel horizontally from the cabinet to obtain access to the cards on said panel requires a floor space at least twice that occupied by the cabinet. .hloreover, in this construction in order to support any panel in an inclined position after it is withdrawn from the cabinet it is necessary to pull out one of the panels beneath to furnish a rest or support for the withdrawn panel.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an improved card index of this type which is so constructed that the space occupied thereby is very much less than that of other card indexes which are in common use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a card index of this type which is so constructed that the mere operation of withdrawing any panel from the cabinet will automatically present and maintain the panel in an inclined position which is most convenient for the manipulation of the cards on the panel or for making entries of the cares.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an improved construction by which the length of the panel may be increased if desired without increasing the floor space occupied by the index system.

In order to give an understanding of my invention I have illustrated in the drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now be described after which the novel fea- Application filed November 28, 1926. Serial No. 150,711.

tures will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet containing a card index embodying my invention, two of the card-supporting panels being shown withdrawn from the cabinet and in position for use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the cabinet;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view on the line 3--3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4t is a view similar to Fig. 2 but show ing a panel-supporting element and the panels carried thereby withdrawn from the cabinet;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55, Fig. 4c;

Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective view showing a different embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but shoW- ing a still different embodiment of the invention Fig. 8 is a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 7.

The complete index device comprises a cabinet having one or more compartments which are open at the front a panel-supporting member mounted in each compartment to be withdrawn from the open front thereof, and one or more card-supporting panels pivotally mounted on each panel-supporting member. The panel-supporting member is supported by means which permits it to be withdrawn from the open front of the cabinet compartment and which when withdrawn presents the panel in an inclined position, thus facilitating the manipulation of the cards by the operator.

In the drawings the cabinet is indicated generally at 1 and this may be provided with one or any number of compartments 2, each of which is open at the front. These compartments are separated by partitions 20. Each compartment has therein a panel-supporting member 3 adapted to support one or more card-holding panels et, to each of which panels a plurality of index cards 5 may be detachably secured in any usual Way.

The construction is such that the panels stand vertically in their compartments and are withdrawn edgewise therefrom. Each panel 4 is preferably pivotally connected to its panel-supporting member so that after the panel has been withdrawn edgewise from its compartment it may be opened or turned about its pivot to place the cards in a convenient position for manipulation.

As herein shown each panel-supporting member-3 is provided at each end with an ear 6 and the panels are provided with pintles or trunnions 7 which are journalled in the ears. Each panel-supporting member 3 is movable from a position at the rear of the compartment, in which position the panels 4 are located entirely within the compartment as shown in Fig. 2, to a position outside of the compartment as illustrated in Fig. 4, and during this movement of the supporting member 3 the panel or panels carried thereby are moved edgewise out from the compartment.

Means are provided for guiding each panelsupporting member 3 so that the act of with drawing it from the compartment will automaticwlly place it in an inclined position shown in Fig. 4 and when the panel has thus been withdrawnand is .in its inclined position then the panel or panels carried thereby may be swung about their pivots into the position shown in Fig. 1 with the cards thus placed in a position where they can readily be mani ulated.

arious devices may be employed for so supporting the panel-supporting members that they will be placed in the horizontal position when they are withdrawn from the compartment.

In Figs. 1 to 5 I have illustrated a link construction for this purpose. Situated in the rear of each compartment 2 is a vertical support and guiding member 8, the latter being connected at its top and bottom to the top and btttom of the compartment as shown at 9.

The upper end of the panel-supporting member 3 has a link 10 pivoted thereto, as shown at 11, the lower end of this link being -p=ivoted to the bottom of the support 8 as 'by the link 14 which operates in a slot 16 formed in the support 8.

17 is a guiding link pivoted at one end to the-support 8 as shown at 12 and at the other end pivoted to the link 14 as shown at 18.

' This linkage arrangement permits the panelswpporting member3 to be placed in the compartment 2"in the position shown in Fig. 2, or to be withdrawn from the compartment as shown in Fig. 4, and when it is thus withdrawn it is presented in an inclined position relative to the vertical open front of the compartment.

During the swinging movement of the member 3 the pivot 11 at the upper end thereof will swing in the arc of a circle having the pivot 12 as a center while the lower end of the panel-supporting member will swing in a curve which is the result of the swinging movement of the pivot 18 about the center 12 and the sliding movement of the pin 19 in the slot 16.

In order to guide the panel-supporting member in its swinging movement I prefer to form the upper end thereof with guiding wings 19 which contact with the sides 20 oi the compartment. This holds the panelsuppcrting member from lateral swinging movement and guides it in its movement into and out of the compartment Each iianel-supporting member 3 may have either one panel or two panels pivotally connected thereto. \Vhere space is an important factor I will pivot two panels 4 to each panelsupporting member as shown in Figs-1 and 5. These panels are pivoted to the outer edges of the panel-stmporting member and are pro vided on their sides which taco each other with the means for supporting the cards One of the panels 4 is shown as having a flange 21 formed on its front edge which is of a width to extend across the space between the two panels when they are in their parallel relation as shown in Fig. 5 and thus close the front of the compartment. This flange 21 may have a knob 22 thereon by which the panel may be withdrawn.

\Vith this embodiment of the invention and assuming that the panels are situated within the compartments the cabinet will present the appearance shown at the left in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2, that is, the flanges 21 of the panels will come substantially flush with the open side of the compartments. To withdraw any panel from the compartment it is simply necessary to grasp the knob 22 and pull outwardly on it. This will result in swinging the panel-supporting member into the inclined position shown in Fig. 4 and as soon as said member has reached this position the panels may be swung away from each other or opened, as shown at the right in Fig. 1, thus present. the cards 5 in position to be manipulated read.

The panel-supporting member is so mounted that when it is withdrawn to the limit of its outward movement the upper edge thereof is substantially flush with the front oi the cabinet so that when the panels are opened as shown at the. right in Fig. 1. the up per edges will rest against the front of the cabinet which will constitute a support for the panels and will hold them in their open position.

In order to prevent any lateral swinging motion of the bottom of the panel-supporting member when the latter is withdrawn I pr pose to make the link 14 as a double link, the two parallel arms of which are spaced from each other a distance substantially equal to the width of the compartment. Vith this construction the link 14; is prevented from lateral swinging motion when the panel-supporting member is withdrawn and thus the panels will be held from lateral movement both at the top and bottom.

The link is shown as extending between the parallel arms of the link 14,

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a slightly different way of mounting the panel-supporting member 3. In this embodiment the upper end of the panel-supporting member 3 has a link or arm 22 pivoted thereto at 23, this arm being pivoted at 24 to a bracket 25. Said arm is provided at its lower end below the pivot 24 with a segmental rack 26 which meshes with a gear or pinion 27 journalled in the bracket 25. This gear or pinion 27 meshes with another gear 28 which is join-nailed on a pin or stud 29 and which has rigid therewith a short arm 30. The outer end of the arm 30 is pivoted at 31 to a link or arm 32 which in turn is pivoted at 33 to the lower end of the panel-supporting member 3.

The arm 32 projects inwardly beyond the pivot 31 and is provided with a stop finger 3st adapted to engage the top of the arm 30 thereby to limit the outward swinging movement of the panel-supporting member.

With this construction and assuming the parts are in the full line position shown in F ig. 7 a pressure against the lower end of the panel will swing it into the compartment, the upper end of the panel-supporting member swinging in the arc of a circle having the pivot 24 as a center. Owing to the gear connection between the arms 22 and 30 thls swinging movement of the arm 22 will swing the arm 30 upwardly thereby drawing the lower end of the panel-supporting member into the compartment.

The gear connecting the arms 22 and 30 is in the nature of a differential gearing, the radius of the gear segment 26 being greater than that of the gear 28. As a result while the two arms 22 and 30 are compelled to swing simultaneously yet the arm 22 will have a less angular movement than the arm 30. Therefore, when the panel-supporting member is swung outwardly from the dotted line position the lower end of said member will move faster than the upper end and as a consequence the panel-supporting member will be presented in the angular position shown in Fig. 7. The engagement of the stop finger 34 with the top of the link 30 limits the outward swinging movement.

In Fig.6 I have illustrated a still different embodiment of the invention wherein the panels are supported in an inclined position when they are stored within the compartment as well as when they are withdrawn from the compartment. With this construction the panel-supporting members 3 are supported on a lazy-tongs member comprising the two links 35, 36 which are pivotally connected at 37. The link is pivotally connected at its lower end to a bracket 38 and the link 36 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower end of the panel-supporting member 3 as shown at 39.

The upper end of the link 35 has a sliding pivotal connection with the panel-supporting member '3 as shown at 40 and the upper end of the link 36 has a sliding pivotal connection with a guide bar 41 as shown at 42. When the panels are pulled outwardly the lazy-tong member 35, 36 open and the upper ends slide downwardly on the panel-supporting member 3 and guide 41 respectively as shown by the dotted lines Fig. 6. This construction will present the panel-supporting member in the desired inclined position.

An advantage of my invention is that it is extremely economical of space. The cards which are usually used on a card index of this sort are about 5 inches long and the panels need be only slightly wider than this. The construction is such that the dimension of the cabinet from the front to the rear need be only sufficient to accommodate the panels and the supporting mechanism therefor so that the cabinet itself need not be any wider from front to rear than a narrow book-case. Furthermore, when the panels are withdrawn into their operative position the space required is only about twice that of the width of the cabinet. The total space required, therefore, for the operation of a card index of this system is very much less than that which is required of those systems where the panels are stored in the cabinet horizontally, like drawers of a desk, instead of in the vertical position herein shown.

Another advantage of this construction is that when the panel-supporting members are withdrawn and the panels are in their operative position they will be supported in the inclined position by the supporting means for the panel-supporting members 3 and the panels themselves will be held in their open position by reason of the upper edges thereof resting against the front of the cabinet.

Still another advantage of my invention is that it is very easy to operate since the panels are automatically placed in an inclined position merely by the act of withdrawing the panels from the compartment so that one movement both withdraws the panels and places them in the desired inclined position.

Still a further advantage is that the length of the panels may be increased if desired without increasing the floor space required for accommodating the index. The reason for this is because the panels when stored are in a vertical position and a long panel oceupies no greater floor space than a shorter panel, the extra space required forthe long panel being in iii-vertical direction rather than in a horizontal direction.

A \Vhile I have illustrated herein some selected embodiments of my invention 1. do not wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim:

compartnu-nt provided with an open front, a panel-supporting member in said compartment, a ttllt supporting panel pivotally mounted on the front of said panel-suppo1" ing member to swing about an axis extending. longitudinally ot' the panel, and means behind and supporting said member so that it can be moved into its compartment or withdrawn therefrom and when so withdrawn -will be presented in an inclined position.

2. A cabinet having a vertically-eiztending compartment provided with an open front, a panel-supporting member, a plurality of cardsupporting panels pivotally mounted on said panel-supporting member, and means supporting said member so that it can be withdrawn" from the cabinet, said means supporting said member in an inclined position when it is so withdrawn with the upper end flush with the front of the cabinet, whereby when each card-s11pporting panel is turned to present the cards into position to be manipulated the upper edge of said panel will be supported by the front of the cabinet.

3. A cabinet having a vertically-extending compartment provided with an open front, a panel-supporting.member in said compartment, a card -supporting panel pivoted on said panel-supporting member and a system of links supporting said member so that it can be moved into and out of said compartment, said links operating to give the lower end of the panel-s11pporting member a greater extent of movement than the upper end, whereby said member when withdrawn presented in an inclined position.

4. A cabinet having a plurality of compartments each having an open front, a panelsupportng member in each compartment, two card-supporting panels pivotally mounted on each panel-supporting member and mechanism supporting each panel-supporting member so that it can be independently moved into or out of its compartment, said mechanism comprising means to give the lower end of each panel-s1!pportin member a movement beyond the front of the cabinet and the upper end a movement to the front, whereby the panels when withdrawn are presented in an inclined position and when opened away from each other are supported by the front of the cabinet.

5. A cabinet'having a compartment provided with an open front, a panelsupportingmember. a card-supporting. panel pivotal- 1. A cabinet having. a vertiCally-extending.

ly mounted at its rear edge on said panelsui porting member, and means supporting said panel-supporting member permitting it to be moved into the compartment or withdrawn therefron'i and when withdrawn constitutingthe sole support for the-panel and presenting it in an inclined position, said panel having its front edge shaped to close the front of the compartment when the panel is located therein. I

6. A cabinet having a vertically-exlending compartment provided with an open front, a panel-supporting member, means supporting said member so that it "an be withdrawn from the compartment, a plurality of cardsupporting panels pivotally mounted on the front of said panel-supporting member to swing about axes extending longitudinally of th panel, said panels being situated in front thereof in all positions of said member, said Stlppfiltin l means presenting the panelsupporting member in an inclined position when it witl drawn from the compartment. 7. A cabinet having a \ertically-e;-;tenrling compartment provided with an open front, a panel-supporting member, mechanism supporting said member in an upright position in said compartment and permitting it to be moved into and out of the compartn'ient, said mechanism including means to cause said member to be presented in an inclined position when with drawn from said compartment, an d a cardsupporting panel pi totally mounted on said panel-supporting member and supported entirely thereby in all positions thereof.

8. A card index comprising a cabinet having a vertically-extending compartment pro vided with an open front, a panel-supporting member, means support 'ng said member in an upright position in said compartment but permitting it to be moved into and entirely out of the compartment and when withdrawn from the compartment supporting said mem her in an inclined position outside the cal inet, and a'cardsupporting panel at the front of and PiXOtGd to said pan l-supporting member to swing about an axis extending longitudinally thereof.

9. A card index crmmrising a cabinet having a vertically-extendiiig compartment provided with an open front, the vertical dimension of said compartment being greater than the horizontal dimension, a pancl-supporting member, means supporting said member in an upright position in said compartment, a panel at the front of and. pivoed at one vertical edge to the panel-s11pportingv member, the means for supportiv said member being constructed to permit it to be moved into and out of the compartment and when withdrawn from the compartment supporting it and the panel in an inclined position, said panel-supporting member constituting the sole support for the panel in all positions thereof.

10. A filing equipment comprising, in combination, a cabinet having a vertical compartment provided with a front opening, a panel-supporting member normally disposed entirely within said compartment rearwardly of said opening, a card-supporting panel pivotally supported on the front of said member to swing about an axis disposed in a vertical plane, and extensible mechanism interposed between and connecting the back of said member and said cabinet and supporting said member to move the latter bodily from and into said cabinet, said mechanism including means to cause the lower part of said member to travel a greater distance than the upper part of said member.

11. A filing equipment comprising, in com bination, a cabinet having a compartment provided with a front opening, a file supporting member normally disposed within said compartment, and extensible mechanism interposed between and connecting the back of said member and said cabinet and supporting said member to move the latter bodily from and into said cabinet, said mechanism including means to cause the lower part of said member to travel faster than the upper part of said member.

12. A filing equipment comprising, in combination, a cabinet havinga vertical compartment provided with a front opening, a panelsupporting member normally disposed entirely within said compartment rearwardly of said opening, a card-supporting panel pivotally supported on the front of said member to swing about an axis disposed in a vertical plane, and mechanism providing a movable support for said member to move the latter bodily from and into said compartment.

13. A filing equipment comprising, in combination, a cabinet having a vertical compartment provided with a front opening, a panel-supporting member normally disposed entirely within said compartment rearwardly of said opening, a card-supporting panel pivotally supported on the front of said member to swing about an axis disposed in a vertical plane, and extensible mechanism providing a movable support for said member to move the latter bodily from and into said compartment.

14. A filing equipment comprising, in combination, a cabinet having a vertical compartment provided with a front opening, a panel-supporting member normally disposed entirely within said compartment rearwardly of said opening, a card-supporting panel pivotally supported on the front of said member to swing about an axis disposed in a vertical plane, and mechanism to move said support bodily from its normal position Within said compartment to a position in which said panel can be swung laterally with relation to said opening.

15. A filing equipment comprising, in combination, a cabinet having a vertical compartment provided with a front opening, a panel-supporting member normally disposed entirely within said compartment rearwardly of said opening, a card-supporting panel pivotally supported on the front of said member to swing about an axis disposed in a vertical plane, and extensible mechanism to move said support bodily from its normal position within said compartment to a position in which said panel can be swung laterally with relation to said opening.

16. A filing equipment comprising, in combination, a cabinet having a vertically ex tending compartment provided with an open front, a panel-supporting member within said compartment, a card-supporting panel pivotally mounted on the front of said panelsupporting member to swing laterally about an axis, and mechanism behind and supportsaid member so that it can be withdrawn from and restored into said compartment, said mechanism including means to cause said member, when withdrawn, to be presented in a predetermined inclined position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

STANLEY ANTHONY. 

